Sectional metallic cross-tie.



UNTED STATES .PATENT enrich.

sEoTloNAL METALLIC vGROSS-Tus.

Specicaton of Letters Eatent.

Eatented'uly 31, 19,06.

Application led March 2l, 1906. Serial No. 307,232.

V To /ZZ whom it may. concern:

Be it known that I, JoiiNA P. AsHBY, a citizen oi the United States, residin at Oklahoma city, in the county of Okla oma and Territory oi Oklahoma, have invented a new and `useful Sectional Metallic lCross-Tie, oi which the iollowin is a specification.

The invention reates to improvements in metallic cross-ties. Y The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of metallic crossties and to provide a simple and comparatively inexpensive one which will `possess sufiicient elasticity and in which av maximum strength will be secured with a minimum amount of material.

A Jfurther object oi the invention is to provide a metallic cross-tie which will be provided with means for iirmly gripping the rails and in which the rail-clampingmechanism will not be affected and the rails loosened by the expansion and contraction of the tie. The invention also has ior itsobject to providel a cross-tie which will not bind at the center and rock at the ends in frozen round and in which the central portion wil thaw out as rapidly as the end portions.

A further object of the invention is to` provide a sectional cross-tie in which the means for securing the sections tovetherwill operate to cause t e sections to c amp the rails so that there will be vno liability oi the rails becoming disengaged from the cross-tie while the sections are secured together.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arran ement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying' drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size, and minor details of construction within the scope oi the claims may be resorted to without departing Jfrom the s irit or sacrificing any of the advantages o the invention.

section. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional In the drawings, Figure 1 isa plan view of a sectional metallic cross-tie constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, the rails being in view oi the cross-tie. Fig. 4 is a perspective view oi one of the sections of the cross-tie.

Like numerals oi' reference designate corresponding parts in all the ii'gu'res ofthe'draw',a ings. i

l l designate sections oi a cross-tie, which is designed to be constructed: of any suitable metal and which consists cfa skeleton structure that is adapted to secure a maximum strength at the expenditurey of a minimum amount of material. The sections, which are arranged in spaced relation, have vertical longitudinal portions, which form thesides of the cross-tie, and each section is also provided with a bottom iiange or portion 2, :the flanges 2v being located at the opposite ends of the cross-tie, as clearly shown in Fig.. 1- of,

The'sections are provided with rail-engaging clamps or jaws 3, preferably formedv integral with and extending upward from the vertical longitudinal portions of the said sections, and these jaws. conform-to the configuration oi and extend over the bottom flanges of the rails 4, as clearly shown in Fig. 2- ofthe drawings. The sections are reversely arranged, the clamping-jaws 3` for engaging each rail being carried by the/opposite sections. The sections are secured to etherby bolts 5, arranged transversely of t e crosstie and passing through horizontal -slots 46 and 7 ofthe same. These transverseiastening devices, which are adapted to draw the sections together, also operate to carryv the jaws or clamps rails, and in order to effect this result lthe sections are provided at their end lportions with transversely-disposed substantially V;- shaped projections or wedges 8, which present angularly-disposed engaging faces adapted when the sections are drawn together to cause the sections to move lon itudinally. This longitudinal-movement of lie sections is in oppositedirections and operates lto mov-e the clamps or jaws 3 of one section in one direction and those of the other section in the opposite direction. The transversely-dise posed V-shaped projections or portions 'are reversely arranged, ythose of one section engaging the inner side of one of the projections or portions and the outer side of the other projection or portion of the other -sectioiin These tapering engaging portions 8 are hollow and areshown inthe drawings as consisting of a plate 9, riveted or otherwise secured to vthe inner Jface ci the longitudinal body portion of the section and bent at its end portions to form intermediate V-shaped -3 into engagement with the Ioo` wedges, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. The

sectional cross-tie plate 9 eXtends from the inner and outer side of each of the wedges and firmly braces the same. The tapering projections or wedges may, however, be formed integral with the body portions of the sections, and the tapering or triangle form is not essential, as the lon itudinal movement of the sections on eac other results from the engagement of the contiguous angularly-disposed faces of the projections or wedges. The opposite faces may be varied in form without affecting the result.

When the transverse fastening devices are tightened, the sections are drawn together and the rail-engaging jaws or clamps are caused to firmly engage the rails. The railengaging clamps or jaws of each section are located, respectively, at the inner side of one rail and at the outer and this particular arrangement of the railengaging means prevents the expansion and contraction of the sections incident to changes in temperature from loosening the rails, as the expansion or contraction of one section is counteracted by the expansion and contraction of the opposite section.

The bottom fianges or portions 2 extend beneath the transversely-disposed en aging members 8, and they may be providecgl with openings l() for enabling the cross-tie to be bolted or spiked to trestles, and, if desired, eXteriorly-arranged flanges may be employed for this purpose. Also the cross-tie may be made of various lengths to adapt it for switch constructions and the like, and the rail-engaging clamps or jaws may be eXtended laterally, so as to project on each side of a rail-joint, if desired.

As the cross-tie is open at the center, as shown, it will not bind at the center and rock at the ends in frozen ground, and the open center will enable the cross-tie to thaw more rapidly at the center than at the ends. The possesses greater elasticity than a solid or integral tie, and this elasticity is further increased by the employment of hollow or skeleton engaging portions 8. In practice the rail will be seated upon the upper edges of the vertical sides of the cross-tie but if greater elasticity be desired blocks of wood or other forms of cushions may be employed in the usual well-known manner. The open V-shaped wedges or projections S form convenient sockets for holding the rail-cushioning means.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is`

v1. A cross-tie composed of separable sections carrying rail-engaging means, fasteninl means for drawing the sections together, an means also carried by the sections for auto-V side of the other rail,

matically moving the rail-engaging means into engagement with a rail when the sections are drawn together.

2. A cross-tie composed of separable sections carrying opposite rail-engaging jaws, fastening means for securing the sections together, and-means also carried by the Sections for automatically moving the same on each other in a longitudinal direction when they are drawn together, whereby the said jaws will be carried into engagement with a rail.

3. The combination of opposite sections provided with means for engaging the opposite sides-of a rail, said sections being also provided with singularly-related faces arranged to carry the rail-engaging means into engagement with a rail when the sections are drawn together, and means for drawing the sections together.

4. The combination of opposite sections carrying rail-'engaging means and provided with angularly-disposed engaging faces slidable on each othel` to carry the rail-engaging means into engagement with a rail, and fastening devices connecting the sections.

5. A cross-tie composed of opposite seetions having rail-engaging means and provided With transversely-disposed4 engaging portions arranged in pairs and having angu larly-disposed faces slidable on each other for carrying the rail-engaging means into and out of engagement with the rails, and fastening means for securing the sections together.

- 6. A cross-tie composed of opposite seotions provided with substantially V-shaped portions arranged in pairs and slidable on each other, means for connecting the sections, and rail-engaging means carried by the sections.

7. A cross-tie composed of opposite sections provided with transversely-disposed projecting portions having angularly-disposed faces slidable on each other, bottoni flanges carried by the opposite sections and extending beneath the transversely-disposed portions, and rail-engaging means carried by the sections.

8. The combination of opposite sections provided with angularly-related faces slidable on eachother and arranged to move the sections in opposite directions when they are drawn together, and rail-engaging means operated by the reverse movement of the sections to engage and release a rail.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN P. ASHBY.

Witnesses:

LUTHER G. WEST, HAROLD V. HAUGH.

IIO 

